Property Owners’ Insurance for Listed Buildings

January 2020

Owing largely to their history, listed buildings are often constructed of combustible or partly combustible materials. In the modern day, it is therefore essential for accurate and precise construction information to be supplied to insurers. If this information is not fully disclosed, this can lead to inadvertent non-disclosure and indemnity issues in the event of a claim.

As well as declaring that the property is listed, other important features to disclose include timber frame properties, timber flooring and any part of the property that includes a flat roof.

With their protected status and historical importance, the rebuild of listed buildings requires specialist materials and the entire process is subject to strict regulations. As such, the cost of reinstating a listed building can often be significantly higher than that of a standard construction property.
As a result, policyholders must be careful and thorough to ensure that the building’s declared reinstatement value is sufficient to fully cover the rebuild of the property, including the costs of debris removal and the specialist fees of professionals such as architects, surveyors and solicitors.

There are a number of resources that can offer general guidance on your property’s rebuild cost, such as the free reinstatement cost calculator offered by the Association of British Insurers: https://abi.bcis.co.uk/

However, an Insurance Reinstatement Survey undertaken by a RICS registered surveyor will always generate the most accurate figure based on your property’s exact rebuild requirements. Recently, we entered into a partnership with Rebuild Cost Reassessment, which enables our clients to benefit from a RICS approved rebuild valuation at a reduced price of £112 incl. VAT. To find out more about this cost-effective service, please take a look here: https://www.daineskapp.co.uk/latest-news/industry-news/daines-kapp-launches-partnership-with-rebuild-cost-assessment

Here at Daines Kapp, we are able to secure cover with a range of insurers for both residential and commercial let listed buildings. Standard cover includes buildings, residential alternative accommodation and property owners’ liability. To ensure your precise needs will be met, we can also source optional additional covers such as landlord contents, tenant improvements, loss of rent, terrorism, legal expenses and Directors’ and Officers’ insurance.

To find out more about how we can help you to secure comprehensive coverage, please contact us here: https://www.daineskapp.co.uk/contact and a member of our team will be in touch with you.